Wagner

In the year 1849, Richard Wagner is a respected composer living in Dresden where he works as royal court conductor for the King of Saxony. Although his wife, Minna, enjoys their life and status, Wagner is bored with his work for the aging…

After refusing to join her husband for quite some time, Minna eventually agrees to move to Zürich to be reunited with Wagner. She manages to persuade Wagner to start conducting and composing again and urges him to travel to France. In…

Wagner's health deteriorates and he suffers from various illnesses. Mathilde Wesendonck, the wife of wealthy silk merchant Otto Wesendonck, becomes yet another one of his patrons and offers him the cottage on her estate as his residence.…

Wagner moves to Venice, Italy to finish 'Tristan und Isolde'. When Karl Ritter informs him that Mrs. Ritter is no longer able to provide Wagner with money, he ends their friendship and travels to Paris. In Paris, he is ordered by the…

After the failure in Paris, Wagner travels around Europe to Switzerland, Austria and Russia. He tries staging Tristan und Isolde in Vienna, but is unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Minna continues to plead with the Dresden court for amnesty for…

In Munich, Wagner enjoys a prosperous time under the patronage of the young King of Bavaria. Most of his debts are settled and several of his operas are staged to great success. Meanwhile, Wagner starts an affair with Cosima, wife of his…

Wagner must reconcile with the King of Bavaria and eventually does so. Their friendship grows even stronger while Ludwig's minsters are becoming increasingly suspicious of Wagner and his ever-increasing demands for money. Meanwhile, the…

Wagner moves to Lucerne, Switzerland with Cosima and her children. He is later joined by King Ludwig who wishes to abdicate in order to become Wagner's assistant. Wagner convinces him to return to Bavaria, where war with Prussia erupts.…

Wagner and Cosima are overjoyed by the birth of their son, Siegfried. Meanwhile, Germany continues its war with France, which finally ends months later in January 1871 with a victory for Prussia and it finally realizes Wagner's lifelong…

Construction on the opera house in Bayreuth begins and his epic Der Ring des Nibelungen can finally be premiered. The performance is attended by Ludwig who is slowly losing his mind, while living in his gigantic new castle Neuschwanstein.…